The Valdosta (Georgia) Board of Education is scheduled to meet Monday to revisit its earlier decision not to renew embattled football coach Rush Propst’s contract, according to an agenda posted on the school district’s website.
The school board voted on April 27 not to renew Propst, who was placed on administrative leave after allegations surfaced that he recruited players and their families and then solicited money to pay their living expenses.
On April 13, the Georgia High School Association levied a $7,500 fine against Valdosta High School, ordered the Wildcats to forfeit seven victories from the 2020 football season, banned the team from playing in the postseason in 2021 and declared a handful of players ineligible for next season after an investigation into whether the team used ineligible players.
The GHSA denied Valdosta High’s appeal of the sanctions.
The GHSA investigation was the result of comments made by Propst in a secretly recorded conversation he had with former booster club executive director Michael “Nub” Nelson in May 2020, in which Propst indicated he needed “funny money” to help pay for living expenses for players’ families who wanted to move to Valdosta.
In the recordings, Propst accused the University of Alabama and University of Georgia of paying high school prospects hundreds of thousands of dollars to play for them.
Sources told ESPN that Propst has provided Alabama and Georgia officials with affidavits in which he denied having personal knowledge of recruiting violations committed by either program. Nelson told ESPN that he had been interviewed by NCAA officials and compliance officers from both schools.